Totally lost their edge food was bland no taste used to be so delicately flavoured! Must have changed chef or something

The highly anticipated, Esh Modern Mediterranean, is now open in Fairfield CT, from the team that brought you NYC's acclaimed, Taboon. Taboon closed due to a fire that left most of Hell's Kitchen scrambling to find a new dinner reservation that matched the quality of this "Middleterranean" (hybrid of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean) spot, but the Taboon, Arabic for wood-burning oven, is now burning hot in Fairfield, and the menu, interior, and service are actual fire! The cuisine at Esh is inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries including Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Aegean, Greece, and Morocco, and much of the menu is cooked in the taboon or on their charcoal grill. From the LahmaJoun Flatbread with mixed lamb, tahini and sumac, to the Fire Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Black Tahini smoked Maldon Sea Salt, many dishes arrive at your table by way of an open flame. Also, all of the decadently large and excellent Hummus Bowls (including my favorite-the Australian Wagyu Shawarma), are also accompanied by fluffy, chewy, wood-fired bread that, for my money, rivals any New Haven pizza crust. The team at Esh have years of experience and truly understand what it means to run a restaurant, delivering a guest experience that is firing (pun intended) on all cylinders. They took their time, a year and a half to be exact, to open ESH, and it shows. Owners, Noam Langleib and Chef Efi Naon (awarded two stars by Frank Bruni), are masters at their craft, and this very seasoned duo run the show...and the kitchen, in a way that feels like you're watching a perfectly choreographed dance. The actual dining space has been given as much attention as every other detail at Esh, with one of the most most dramatic and beautifully designed interiors in CT, conceptualized by local designer, Christian P Arkay-Leliever. The open kitchen is expansive, running the full length of the dining room, giving diners a full view of the grills, vibrant vegetables, wagyu glistening on its charcoal spit- and, front and center, the fiery taboon. Massive golden chandeliers hang from the double high ceiling, casting a warm glow throughout, with sexy dark and gold finishes throughout. The walls are constructed from charred wood, and the wall coverings reflect the colors of the Mediterranean...as seen from the sky. A forest of trees runs down the center of the dining room and the kitchen is watched over by a giant octopus (designed by Arkay-Leliever's daughter, Bree Arkay-Leliever). The bar has its own elegant charm and guests are welcome to eat here if they can't score a reservation in the main dining space. As this is just a first look, we will expound upon the menu and share a full review at a later date, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention a few dishes that are mandatory orders if you're planning on heading over in the next few weeks...which you should. Start with a Hummus Bowl for the table. My preference is that topped with the aforementioned Wagyu Shawarma, but if you plan to have the Shawarma as a main, by all means select ANY of these bowls. The El Guapo with crispy avocado, black beans and pico & the Shippud Pargiot with Hawaii spice mix, stuffed with preserved lemon medjool dates are both also excellent choices. They come with their house made flatbread and some lovely dips. This could almost be a full dinner. The Taboon Flatbreads are also a must. Honestly, they are all good, but I truly enjoyed the nod to Esh's NYC roots with the Creamy Mustard Spread Flatbread featuring caramelized onions, Katz Deli pastrami and pickles. The abovementioned LahmaJoun should also be on your list. The Meze Dips including Spicy Feta, Smoked Garlic Eggplant, and Labneh, are all solid and provide small samplings of the nuanced and bold Middle Eastern flavor profiles seen throughout this menu. Some additional standouts from our two visits are below. These represent larger format dishes or shareable plates. Australian Wagyu Shawarma- This is Wagyu slow roasted on a charcoal spit, sitting stop freshly made pita, pistachio, parsley, uber-fresh tomato red and onion salad, tahini and pickled mango chutney. There are no words for how tasty this thinly shaved succulent seasoned meat is. It's just a perfect dish. Free Range Chicken "Maschan"- They always say don't order the chicken, but this is not your average bird. This stunner is French cut, beautifully presented, with la boite ararat spice, cauliflower crust, sumac currant onions and a rich chicken rosemary reduction. read more

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Amazing, simply Amazing! The Best thing to hit Fairfield County in a long time! You will feel transported by the magnificent surroundings & the incredible gastronomic experience from beginning to end. Food is influenced by Greek, Lebanese, Turkish, israeli. Friends who didnt expect to like it, FELL IN LOVE ! The staff is IMPECCABLE! The cocktails sublime. Go! I promise youll return! ( just dined there for the 4th time this month) read more

What happens when you mix an overhyped restaurant with good, but not exceptional, food and arrogant gen z kids at the front who don't seem bothered by the fact that you made a reservation which has not been honored for over 30 minutes? You have Esh. I've gone here 4 times since it opened. The 30 minute wait means this will be my last. And, to the manager who told me that this happens all the time in NYC, no it doesn't. A restaurant that thrives on dinner reservations for guests with important business companions does not make them wait 30 minutes. It at leasts would offer them the option of starting at the bar and continuing in the main dining room. That's the way it's done in NYC, London and even New Delhi. (And, the restaurant is in Fairfield, btw) The actual wait staff in the dining room is exceptional, each and every time. The food delivery time in the dining room (not the bar) is consistently timely if not fast. And, the food can be pretty good, which obviously is the draw. Sea Bass is spicy and flavorful. The lamb is tender and inviting. The shwarma is mediocre and overdone. The hummus is fine, but, it's not Tel Aviv, sorry. And, the flatbread, well, it's flatbread, not pita, and it's not much better than freezer bread that you put on your grill. Feel free to go once and try it out. But, expect to be treated poorly at the entrance desk despite the NYC prices. read more

Food was only so so and then they kicked us off our table after only 2 hours because they had over booked. Overall not a great experience would not go back read more

Awesome in every respect. Beautiful setting with a distinctly non-CT vibe (more like a Manhattan restaurant). Terrific service - special shout out to Gino. And now for the food - virtually flawless. Mezzes and apps were excellent - especially the blistered shishitos, salad, whole cauliflower and hummus/tahini. The bread was the best I have had in amy Middle Eastern restaurant. I had an Esh Margarita - terrific. For entrees, our group ordered a roasted lamb neck special and a NY Strip entree. Steak was excellent - lamb special was the only "A-" of the night as it was a little fatty. Desserts were excellent - some kind of sundae and a creamy chocolate and praline dish. I have been to a number of the Solomonov restaurants and Esh is at that level. read more

Very cool new spot that is much needed on the other side of fairfield away from the "downtown" center. The decor and bar is nice and I love the community table you can choose to sit at. I sat at the bar and the bartender was so sweet and attentive. We ordered the octopus since I always have to try it when I see it on a menu. It was good but not my favorite. Has a little muchyness to it maybe overcooked? The potatoes it came with were OK and I like the touches of yogurt they dolloped on. The eggplant garlic dip was fabulous! The bread they serve with the dips is absolutely to die for. So fluffy and delicious. I am absolutely coming back for the bread and to try the hummus next time. ($7 is an awesome price for the dips with bread-great portion) They have a very interesting menu and I am curious to try a flatbread and a main dish next time. read more

Esh Mediterranean - Eggplant and garlic dip with this fabulous bread - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

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Starting with a rating of 4.5 stars. Not 4, but also not 5, this place really impressed us. We decided to drop by on a Wednesday night around 8 pm without a reservation, despite hearing reservations were usually required. Fortunately, they had seating available when we called ahead. The ambiance was dark yet invitingly different. The drinks were delicious with beautiful presentation. The food, though just appetizers, came out quickly and in decent portions, and it was absolutely scrumptious. However, the only drawback was the staff's frequent circling around our table, which made us feel slightly rushed. They asked us if we were done eating a total of four times by multiple different people. Despite this, the staff was super friendly and attentive. And I must say, the chocolate cake was AMAZING! I'd definitely go back just for that! read more

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Awesome food and great modern feel! Blew past all my expectations. Would definitely go back again hands down. read more

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Service was absolutely horrible. The food was just ok and the drinks were average. We waited more than 30 minutes for our entrees after watching the table in front of us get seated after us and received their food before us. The manager never came to our table to ask us how our experience was going after watching him go to table to table asking others their experience. The only thing that was good about this place was the ambiance. Would I come back - NO! Do I recommend- ABSOLUTELY NOT! read more

Food***** Service ***** Ambiance***** Great "dining experience" Everything was well seasoned and perfectly executed We could not get a reservation and finally got on the same day with my wife's persistence on open table. The chef has a proven track record and it is quite apparent.....rock star execution!! read more

Esh Mediterranean - Reviewers - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

Esh raises the bar for Fairfield. The ambience and design are superb- more like Manhattan. The service was off the charts GREAT. Our water was always full, the dishes, silverware, and table were cleaned after each course, and our waiter was a total pro. He knew each dish, and his recommendations were excellent. Finally, the food came out hot ( when it was supposed to be) and was a fresh and flavorful combination of unique spices, textures, and flavors. Overall a fantastic dining experience. read more

Esh Mediterranean - Grilled Branzino - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

Esh is one of the newer hotspots on the Fairfield dining scene. On the night of my dinner there was a rather famous television celebrity also having a meal that evening. The interior is comprised of a bar area and a main dining room that overlooks an open kitchen. Overhead are large hemispherical, gilded light fixtures that give a nice ambience and glow to the space. Other details are tastefully done, the lighting is low, but not too dark and the music that is played is not overly loud or intrusive. The restaurant itself is also not very loud, which makes for a much more enjoyable experience. The waitstaff was great, very attentive and very pleasant. I only wish the food could match the good things that I mentioned. My table started off 3 meze dips and flatbread. Of course they only give you one flatbread so it necessitates ordering another one which brings the total up to $35 for two flatbreads and three dips that probably are about a half cup in quantity. The dips are good although I felt the hummus could use maybe a little more salt and or lemon juice but that's a personal preference. Flatbreads were fresh out of the oven and tasty. Esh offers 14 appetizers. Most of them are north of $20. We decided to try the crispy duck wings and the Moroccan cigar appetizer. The duck wings were OK, not very tender, not very hot temperature wise and not very crispy. The sauce was nice, kind of a Middle Eastern Asian flavor, but nothing spectacular. The Moroccan cigar in my opinion should be taken off the menu. It is like a very thin spring roll filled with a weird tasting ground meat that is advertised as Wagyu beef. If that is true, then it is basically chopped up trimmings. I would describe the flavor as a Mediterranean Taco Bell. Very disappointing. I wish I could say the main courses were a lot better but they weren't. North African style halibut was a rather small piece of fish that may or may not have been halibut. It was overcooked and had a texture that leads me to believe it wasn't halibut. It was covered in a tomato sauce with paprika and garlic. Not sure how this is North African because it basically tasted of tomato sauce. It was served on top of homemade gnocchi (is gnocchi North African?), but instead of the normal style it was in long rods like string cheese. They were average at best. Nazareth style lamb pot pie came out with an impressive flatbread dome over the dish. Once the bread was rolled back, however, it revealed a rather unimpressive presentation. The lamb pieces were overcooked and dry, and the accompanying vegetables and sauce was nondescript. If you can't cook lamb correctly, then you have to reevaluate what the kitchen is doing. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the night was the charcoal grilled prime ribeye. Nowhere on the menu did it say that this was actually pieces of beef on a skewer. If I see ribeye, I'm expecting a steak and if I see ribeye I'm expecting ribeye, I don't think this was ribeye. If it was, it was a piece of the ribeye that wasn't able to be made into an actual steak. One of the pieces had a nice vein of sinew in it which is not typical of ribeye. Also by cutting this meat into chunks, it made it very hard to cook to the proper temperature. For $59 this is a major disappointment, insulting is probably a better word.. All of the entrées were served with the sauce over everything, nothing is separate so everything kind of taste the same. This is not fine dining in my opinion it's almost like they are just covering it with sauce because they know the quality isn't there. We all shared a dessert, grandma's biscuit cake. Surprisingly this was the highlight of the night. It was a very nice layering of cream cheese, mousse and chocolate cream with a cookie crumble base. Topped off by hazelnuts. It was a very successful dessert. I am routinely disappointed with restaurants in Fairfield, and Esh is no exception. The menu reads very nicely, but what you get does not match up to the description, well except for the dessert. read more

As long as you don't mind a noisy restaurant, this place is fantastic. Food is delicious and creatively executed. Service is very good. Portions are generous. I've been back several times. read more

I dream about the bread and spreads--delicious combination of flavors. Labneh, feta spread, za'atar bread--yum! Service is top notch. Festive and buzzing atmosphere even in a Wednesday night. This gem is worth the experience--delightful and delicious read more

Very good restaurant for special occasions. Too pricey to be a regular thing, but that's ok. Very nice addition to Fairfield. Great vibe and service. Food is pretty on point. I definitely enjoyed the ribeye shawarma! An area for improvement: we went for the third or fourth time the other day to bring my uncle out for a nice dinner. He had never been to Esh and we were excited to show him. He was sooo hungry and the menu is long and unique, so wanted him to have the opportunity to get through it but also order some dips and bread while we did that. We were not allowed to put the dips in before the rest of the order, which created the feeling of being rushed to get our order in. I understand the drive to not stage orders - complicates things for the kitchen, people fill up and order less, etc. But at a place like this where we want to sample the menu and order a lot of stuff thoughtfully, being able to put some dips on the table as we sort through the options feels like a totally reasonable thing that would make it a more positive experience for all (especially if one of your guests is hangry). And especially for the price. In fact, it should be a standard for the server to ask if they can bring out some drinks and / or any dips to the table as a starting point.... read more

Tremendous everything. Decor. Service. And especially the food. Not a single bad bite. Hummus was incredible, as was every shawarma thing.

Fantastic Dinner, incredible food, delicious Passion fruit drink, best waiter ever. Not to mention that it is a beautiful place; it feels like you are in the city, rather than by the train station in Fairfield. read more

NYC comes to CT. Esh is executing at the highest level from a food, beverage, and an ambiance perspective. They are confident in their spice box and with their use of fire to turn out rich and nuanced flavors in every dish. Prices may lean towards NYC levels but at this level of execution, the guest is well rewarded. read more

Owner is rude, didn't enjoy my time, food was okay for the price, owner and management made it the worst place ever. food took forever for some mid. read more

Loud, over priced, friendly staff but not helpful. When asked about Headway Lager, the response was, "It's a Lager". Halibut was overcooked and dry. Salmon was excellent, Burger was enough for 4 people but too rare for my liking. I had the Lamb pot pie... oblong lamb meatballs in a rich tomato sauce with a pita cover, good but not $$$$fine dining. Parking is a mystery unless you have researched ahead of time and know to park in the train station garage which will be comped. Swanky atmosphere. read more

The food is sublime! I've been three times. I take my NYC friends there. Having been in the restaurant business, here and abroad for many years, and being a native NYer, I'm a bit jaded. I could dine there every night! Service is outstanding. Ambiance is not like any other place in Fairfield. Definitely 5 stars read more

-Incredible food! -Impeccable service (shout out to our server Nicole)! -Beautiful ambience We can't wait to go back!! read more

This place has a lot of potential but they are too greedy with the price. If you order the dips like hummus, etc. they only give you this small flat bread that is definitely way too small to finish the dips with. So if you order another piece of bread, they charge you $9 for a piece of bread. I literally spent over $200 on dinner for two people and they are charging $9 for a piece of bread. I would be going back here 4-6 times per year but now I'll never go back. I feel too ripped off. read more

Very bland food and not very good service to boot. Food needs improvement for sure. So many options for good Med foods.

Absolutely delicious. Amazing decor. Waist staff is on point! Get the steak skewer and the burger!!

as a chef for over thirty years this was one of my best dining experiences in forever ! the space had a chic manhattan vibe to it without the pretentious attitude, the food was creative , presented well and above all else delicious ! Staff from management on down to the hostess validating parking couldn't have been more enjoyable , in the Fairfield restaurant scene where let's be honest it is all carbon copies with little to no imagination , thank you for a great dining experience, Chef Joe read more

Overall very good, vibe was good, not too loud. Service was a bit impersonal and slow, not a positive overall as it took a while to water and drinks. Flatbread was excellent, gem salad very good, tuna tartar was decent (a little small) but the ribeye shawarma was too heavy. Good initial few bits but overall too heavy. read more

OMG the food is unique and outstanding. Then, add that unique Mediterranean atmosphere which just embellishes your experience. The service is above average. Go early especially on a weekend to even get a reservation. We always order a variety of apps to try everything. There is an appetizer, Moroccan cigars, another OMG. The desserts are made on the premises. Go for one or two!! The food is not common, I'd suggest asking the server for recommendations if you are unfamiliar with Mediterranean food. Any beef or steak dishes are a YES. The owner is very charismatic and values his customers. He will make you happy if for some reason you're not but I doubt it! With all the choices around for dining nowadays, don't miss this. It's also fun with a group of friends. Throw your diet out the window it's worth every bite. Highly recommend. read more

I am truly confused about the ratings of this restaurant. I was so excited to try it and all I can say now is "been there done that". We got as appetizer falafel and it was nothing special and seems pretty industrially made, but the real disappointment was the entree. One of the entrees at the table was the halibut. Was it halibut? Who knows? It was buried in a heavy tomato sauce completely dominating the flavor. The sauce had cream in it and for a restaurant with the "Mediterranean" in the name it is a sin. The allegedly halibut was on "homemade" potato gnocchi. Oh boy... homemade gnocchi melt in your mouth and these were so hard that I could not cut them with the fork. All these for incredibly high prices: the halibut was $48! The other entree was the branzino. It was not bad, very simple and a little more authentic in flavor but not worth the other $48. I see a lot of pictures of small plates and desserts, maybe that is their strength and you can stretch your money and eat more things but going there for an entree was a total waste of money. read more

It is hard to get a reservation here. You definitely have to plan ahead but definitely worth it! Our first time here we ended up sitting at the bar; great tapas and drinks!! read more

What an amazing experience at this restaurant. The food is incredible. We got some dips and the Esh burger and it was all high quality and extremely delicious. The service was wonderful, our waiter was very attentive and helpful with the menu. The owner came over to check on us and they brought multiple desserts for my birthday. Ambiance is fantastic as well. Very open concept, love the decor with the black and gold and greenery. Will definitely be back!!! read more

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Great setting, waitstaff (Mario) was terrific. Food was mixed as you need to hit 100% in this setting and they did not. Fresh flatbread bread from the oven with slathered with oil/ghee, great. Lovely babagaoush variable, terrific with roasted garlic. Squid, excellent, but could have used a sharper knife to cut ( or should it have been easier to cut...). What disappointed was the roasted cauliflower. Nice spicy salsa and great exterior color, but ..I expected a softer center and got the opposite (thankful for the serrated knife that clicked the plate as I cut it... oof). Suggestion to the kitchen, try parboil prior, let it sit and dry (and pre-cook), then slather with some EVOO and pop in that oven so you get that same nice color but with a softer fluffier center. ... Would be stellar. She wants to come back... so we come back.. read more

Let me start with the best - our server was off the charts good. He was thoughtful, he explained everything, and organized our meal to come as we wanted it. The food was good - some was very good but some was just okay. We started with the garlic eggplant dip - delicious and the Aegean salad. Frankly we were full by then - the salad was huge and that with the bread, well we would have done better to skip the shared plates. The falafel was good not great - I prefer the ones I have had on the street in NYC, the Moroccan cigar just didn't do anything for me and I told my husband it was all his, the Waygu Shwarma buns - not very good I'm afraid. We really were full and didn't want dessert but our waiter brought us out a comped Grandma's biscuit cake. It was sooooo good. Not a cake at all - more of a pudding, whipped cream, I'm not sure what but delicious. My one warning would be the food is VERY filling - don't over order like we did - and most tables were splitting a main - don't order two - it's too much food. read more

Amazing food, very modern and stylish inside. Service was excellent as well. The food came out fresh and hot (where applicable). I had the Moroccan lamb pot pie that was amazing. read more

Can I live at Esh and eat three meals a day there? After numerous visits I believe I've sampled most of the menu. It is consistently, surprisingly, temptingly delicious, and I've not experienced less-than-attentive service. Gorgeous ambiance. It's absolute fire. read more

Great food, beautiful (metro) ambiance, service felt a bit rushed. would suggest at least four at a table to adequately share the many dishes sourced from Middle Eastern ingredients with Israeli, Lebanese and northern African influence. . read more

We attended the 3-course NYE Price Fixe event (had not visited before that). They seemed to have selections from their usual menu. All dishes were perfectly prepared and delicious. The dips and puffy flatbread, everyone raved about -hummus so creamy! Didn't really need appetizers after that...scallops and hamachi, branzini and salmon were our choices. The salmon was unusual wrapped in phyllo, and served with roasted veggies-fantastic. Service was attentive and it's a beautiful space. Very satisfying for super special occasion. Perhaps a bit too precious for common weekend meal. read more

There are not enough strongly positive adjectives to describe our experience at Esh! WOW. All I can say is wow. First, this is definitely another review worthy of more than 5 stars. It is truly unmatched, one of a kind, and outstanding in every way- atmosphere, service, food, cocktails, even the music curated specially for Esh is truly a perfect accompaniment to this dining experience. I can't begin to do this amazing restaurant justice here with words. I encourage you to go and try Esh for yourself. But I will try to express our gratitude for our amazing meal and outstanding service. We had a fantastic sever who was helpful and accommodating. We chose some delicious cocktails which we enjoyed. We chose to sample some cauliflower hummus and tzatziki with their naan bread. The flavors!!! The bread was freshly fired, soft, chewy, bubbly and charred in a perfect way. We chose entrees that just can't compare to anything else we've ever eaten. The spices, pairings, flavor profiles- this is a fine dining , modern Mediterranean experience that everyone should have. We spoke with the manager, Christian, a few times. He was fabulous and explained a lot about Esh and its cuisine. We received a complimentary dessert which was an outstanding spiced sponge cake with fresh crema and edible gold flakes sprinkled over top. It was amazing. Esh is Hebrew for fire and I can tell you this name is very fitting for this absolute fire new restaurant. read more

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Worst restaurant experience in Fairfield county. Gary gave us great service. Food quality very poor. Flat breads had no flavor. We paid $9 for flat bread that was completely charcoal burned through. Could not believe they actually served it. Could not eat it. Burger was completely raw. Mngt did care. Would recommend everyone avoid this restaurant. read more